Overview
A study of the successors to Alexander. Topics covered include Alexander's death, the Diadoch Wars, Alexander's generals, polygamy, and the destruction of empires.
The death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC precipitated one of the most chaotic and bloody periods in history. In this paper we will study the initial struggle for power in Babylon and examine the major military, political and social issues that develop as the Hellenistic Kingdoms are created out of the ruins of the Macedonian Empire. We will discuss the rise and fall of Kings and Queens, conflicts between East and West, internal threats, and how everyone is out to “Free the Greeks”! Our narrative spans the period from the death of Alexander to the death of the last Hellenistic Monarch, Cleopatra VII in 30 BCE.
About this paper
| Paper title | After Alexander: the Struggle and the Chaos |
|---|---|
| Subject | Classical Studies |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Semester 1 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) | $1,040.70 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Prerequisite
- 18 200-level CLAS, GREK or LATN points
- Restriction
- CLAS 441
- Schedule C
- Arts and Music
- Eligibility
- Suitable for third-year students from all disciplines, especially with an interest in History, Politics, Historiography, Archaeology, warfare and Ancient Studies of all types.
- Contact
- More information link
- Teaching staff
Course Co-ordinator: Associate Professor Gwynaeth McIntyre
- Paper Structure
This paper is organised into 4 modules. The first explores the Question of Succession immediately following the death of Alexander. The other three follow the rise and fall of each of the main Hellenistic Kingdoms (Antigonids, Seleucids, and Ptolemies).
This paper has several key aims, including:
- To understand the historical context of the period from the death of Alexander the Great to the death of Cleopatra VII (323 – 30 BCE);
- To investigate the nature of ancient history and the methods and sub-disciplines used to analyse it;
- To analyse and understand how Greek and Eastern cultures interacted after being assimilated by Alexander's expedition;
- To examine and critically assess the primary source material detailing this period (including literary, numismatic, epigraphical, etc.);
- To view the impact of Alexander’s campaigns on the development of the Hellenistic Kingdoms, social and cultural interactions with local communities and other imperial powers, and the factors that lead to their ultimate downfall.
- Teaching Arrangements
- Two lectures per week.
- Textbooks
Selections of both primary and secondary source material will be made available on Blackboard.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Lifelong learning, Communication, Critical thinking, Information literacy, Self-motivation, Teamwork.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this paper will learn:
- To investigate the nature of ancient history and the methods and sub-disciplines used to analyse it
- To investigate new evidence - especially epigraphic, archaeological and numismatic - which has become available in recent years
- To debate and evaluate some of the scholarly interpretations and schools of thought on the patchy evidence, especially where conflicting conclusions have been drawn
- To view the impact of the Alexander phenomena, or 'industry,' on popular culture and modern perceptions
- An awareness of foreign cultures in a chronological context